BIO

Heather Wright finisher her career unquestionably one of the nation's most dominating middle blockers...After coming off shoulder surgery in July 1999 correct a rotator cuff tear in her right arm, she finished as the nation's leading hitter with a .451 hitting efficiency...Biceps tendonitis kept her out of action in 2000...The ailment would not allow a capsular shrinkage done to that same shoulder in January 2000 to heal...Was almost unstoppable when she hits the slide...Was a three-year starter.

Career Highlights: Holds the UF, SEC and NCAA Career Hitting Efficiency record at .424...Led the nation in hitting efficiency for nine consecutive weeks (1999)...Is seventh all-time nationally and first at UF and in the SEC for her .451 single-season hitting percentage in 1999...Ranks fourth among UF's career blocks leaders with 424.

Career Honors: Two-time All-SEC player (1998-99)...Voted to the AVCA All-District IV Team (1998-99)...A three-time SEC Academic Honor Roll honoree (1998-00)... Named to the all-region team in the 1998 NCAA East Tournament...1998 SEC Tournament MVP...AVCA National Player of the Week honors (Nov. 23, 1998)...SEC Player of the Week (Oct. 11, 1999 and Sept. 28, 1998).

As a Senior (2000): Was out with biceps tendonitis in her right shoulder....Played two games vs. Florida Atlantic...Recorded one kill on two swings in that match.

As a Junior (1999): Had 14 matches with one or less errors, including five error-free performances...Averaged 3.86 kpg and 1.64 bpg through four matches in the NCAA Tournament...Put up two errorless efforts in the SEC Tournament...Averaged 1.83 bpg in road series at Georgia and South Carolina...Had 14 matches in double-digit kills...UF's leading blocker...SEC Player of the Week Oct. 11 for outstanding performances in wins over Auburn and Alabama... Hit .648 in that series with 37 kills and only two errors in 54 attempts...Average 5.29 kpg and 0.86 bpg in those matches... Recorded a season-high .750 hitting efficiency (9-0-12) against Ole Miss...Only had two hitting errors between Sept. 28 and Oct. 3 (.656 pct., 44-2-64; 4.89 kpg; 1.11 bpg in that series)...Pounded 19 kills and added five blocks against No. 21 Arkansas in the SEC opener...Had a similar performance two matches later at Florida State with 19 kills and only one error on 29 attempts (.621)...Added two blocks in that win...Averaged a .500 hitting efficiency, 4.33 kpg and 1.67 bpg in the opening SEC weekend (Arkansas and LSU)...Recorded a career-high 25 kills against No. 6 Pacific in the NACWAA Volleyball Classic, just less than a week after being cleared to hit after her shoulder surgery.

As a Sophomore (1998): Named to the SEC-Pac 10 All-Tournament Team... Became a known offensive threat as well as a blocking force...Ranked sixth nationally and second in the SEC with Florida's third-best hitting efficiency in a season (.410)...Posted double-digit kills in 22 matches...Hit better than .800 twice, including a career-high and individual Gator season-high .909 (10-0-11) against Duke... Blocked six or more balls in 13 matches, including a match-high seven against No. 1 Long Beach in the National Championship semifinal...Set a new career-high 23 kills and racked up six roofs in the SEC Tournament finals against No. 13 Arkansas...Tied her career-high 21 kills against No. 21 FSU in just the second match after she set it against No. 15 Loyola Marymount...Named to the SunTrust Invitational All-Tournament Team, the first time she received such an honor...Recorded a then-career-high 17 kills against Kansas State and set a then season-high .545 hitting percentage against Northwestern (8-2-11) in that tournament.

As a Freshman (1997): Became Florida's starting middle blocker in early November, when then-junior Jeni Jones was diagnosed with an illness that sidelined her for the remainder of the season...Recorded double-digit kills in five of those 15 matches, including three of the last five of the season...Back-to-back double-digit kill performances at the NCAA Central Regional, posting 11 vs. Washington State in the semifinal and 10 vs. Wisconsin in the final...Racked up eight blocks vs. Wisconsin and Penn State in the national semifinal...Posted 12 kills and six blocks vs. Pacific and eight kills, eight blocks and three aces vs. UCLA at the Community Bankers' Classic...Tallied four solo blocks vs. Tennessee...Posted four or more blocks in 13 of the last 15 matches of the season... Recorded career-highs of 14 kills and nine blocks vs. Georgia in the SEC Tournament semifinal.

Prior to Florida: Member of the 1997 USA Youth National Team, coached by Florida's Nick Cheronis...One of only six players in the country to be named a 1996 Volleyball magazine first team high school All-American...Named to Volleyball magazine's Fab 50...Led Martinsville to the 1996 Indiana High School State Championship title and runner-up finishes in 1994 and 1995...Led her club team to the final four at the 1997 Junior National Championships, where she earned first-team All-America honors...Three-time all-state first-team selection...Named MVP of her high school team all four years...Four-time USA Volleyball Junior All-American... Holds high school records for career kills (1,794), career blocks (310) and blocks in a season (74).

Personal: Born Oct. 13, 1978...Enjoys shopping, reading, and spending time with friends...Older brother Jason played minor league baseball for the Yankees and Devil Rays...Favorite movie is Con Air...Best advice ever given to her was from her brother who told her to go to Florida so she wouldn't have to walk to class in the snow...Wears No. 13 because she was born on Friday the 13th...Can't do without Chap Stick and gum...Favorite food is pizza...Has a cat named Smokey Joe...Major is leisure service management...Graduated in December 2000.